Chain tongs



Feb. 10, 1 31. s. SQRENSEN Em 1 1 2,401

I CHAIN. TONGS Filed Feb. 4, 1929 $3M Q INVENTQRIS Patented Feb. 10,1931 UNITED. STATES P ATE-NT OFFICE SAM SORENSEN AND JOSEPH AnvrnPETERSON, or HousToN, TEXAS, AsSIGNons, BY

DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To GEABENGH'MANUFAGTURING, COMPANY, or fHOUSTON, TEXAS, A CORPORATION or TEXAS CHAIN oNeS Application filedFebruary 4,-1.929. Serial No. 337,183.

Our invention relates to pipe tongs or wrenches and pertainsparticularly to pipe tongs for use in handlin heavy pipe 1n oil fieldwork, although it is to be understood that this wrench is adapted foruse on'all sizes of pipe and maybe used wherever pipe tongs are foundnecessary or desirable.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pipe wrench of the typeemploying a chain for gripping the pipe, in which an even and uniformgrip is obtained upon the pipe on all sides thereof So that thepipejoints may be screwed up or unscrewed without danger of mutilationof said joints or of the pipe.

It is a further object to obtain a wrench in which the grip is obtainedupon the pipe by a pull upon what is ordinarily the slack side of thechain as the wrench handle is moved.

It is an object to provide a simple and strong construction for a pipewrench which will be easy and economical to manufacture and which willundergo the severe strains to which such a wrench is submitted withoutdanger of breakage.

In the drawing we have illustrated a preferred form which the inventionmay take.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of pipe tongsembodying our invention, the same being shown as applied to' the pipewhich is shown in transverse section.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the handle and the head with the chainthereon removed.

The head 2 of the wrench handle is rounded on one side at 18 but isflattened at 19 on the opposite side. The round portion 18 is adapted tocontact with the chain 3, which is secured to lugs 4/ of the head. Theforward end of the head is formed with a recess at 20 providing ashoulder at 21 against which a spring 22 may bear, tending to hold thehandle in such a position as to exert a pull upon the chain. A pin 23,extending through the head,

' is adapted to engage with a shoulder 24 on the jaw 25, thus limitingthe relative movement of the handle and the aw.

The jaw 25 is formed of two side plates spaced apart throughout theirlength but said plates are connected inwardly by a web 26 shown indotted lines on Fig. 1. The space between the plates allows theinsertion ofthe head 25 between the same, and a pivot pin 6 connects thejaws with the head of the handle.

The jaw is forked at 27, at the'forward end, to provide contact with thepipe, which will therefore be made at two points on the jaw,

as will be obvious from Fig. 1.

The chain 3 is passed around the head and -tl1rough,between the twosideplates of the jaw, and then forwardly about the pipe 13,

and the free end of the same may be latched within recesses 28 formed onthe inner sides of the lugs 29 at the side of the head.

The spring 22 is mounted upon a pin 30extending through the aw25 at oneside thereof,th e end of the spring projecting toward the'he'ad 2 andbearing against the shoulder 21, as previously noted;-

Inthe operation of the wrench it is' secured to the pipeas before andthe chain is tightened to grip the pipe by the movement of the handle tothe left of the position shown "in Fig. 1. There is a pull exerted onthe end of the chain where it isattached to the head, due to the camaction of the portion 18. Thereis also a pull exerted upon the oppositeend of the chain, due to the movement of the wrenches a whole relativeto the pipe. The effect will be that a strong and even pull will beexerted to tighten the wrench uniformly upon the pipe from both endsthereof. It

will also be noted that the chain contacts with the pipe throughout thegreater portion of the periphery of the pipe. It will not be necessarywith this type of wrench to form teeth upon the forward end of the headas is common with other types of chain tongs; The spring 22 exerts atension upon the handle,tending to hold the chain tight upon the pipe,but when the handle is moved to the left of the Figure 1 position thechain will slacken relative to the pipe and allow the same to slip alongthe pipe so that the desired ratcheting action of the handle and thewrench relative to the pipe may be employed in screwing up joints. Thisis a desirable feature in tongs of this character and is an advantageobtained by the invention herein disclosed. 7

But one form of wrench illustrating the 'pipe.

invention has been disclosed. It is to be understood that the form ofthe device may be varied in many ways to obtain the application of ourinvention to pipe tongs of this character. This invention provides greatflexibility in that various sizes of pipe may be gripped by this wrenchand in each size a firm and uniform grip is obtained upon the 'VVhat weclaim is new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A chain tongs comprising a handle, a head thereon having a roundedportion on one side thereof, a chain attached to one side of said handleand engaging about said rounded head, a jaw pivoted upon said head,

means on the side of said jaw adjacent said 7 chain to detachably engagesaid chain after it is passed about the pipe, whereby the swinging ofsaid handle in one direction will pull upon the end of the chainattached thereto, and a spring on said jaw bearing against said head tohold said chain against said pipe.

2. A chain tongs including a handle, a jaw on said handle,a plurality ofrounded faces on said jaw adapted to contact the pipe, and a chainpassing thru said jaw and encircling the pipe and adapted to co-act withsaid rounded faces whereby the chain converges from the pipe in asubstantially V form.

3. A chain tongs including a handle, a head thereon, a roundedprojection on one side, and a longitudinal shoulder on the other side, ajaw pivoted on said head forked symmetrically to engage the pipe, achain secured to said handle adjacent said head and engaging about saidprojection, and means to attach the free end of said chain to said jawafter it has been passed about the pipe.

4. A chain tongs including ahandle, a head thereon, a rounded projectionon one side, and a longitudinal shoulder on the other side, a jawpivoted on said head forked symmetrically to engage the pipe, a springon said jaw engaging said shoulder on the handle, a chain secured tosaid handle adjacent said head and engaging about said projection, andmeans to attach the free end of said chain to said jaw after it has beenpassed about the pipe.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto affixed our signatures, this the11th day of January, A. D. 1929.

SAM SORENSEN. JOSEPH ARVID PETERSON.

